<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>One of a kind by Sylvalum</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28269828">One of a kind</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sylvalum/pseuds/Sylvalum'>Sylvalum</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>ARK tragedy, Alternate Universe - Canon, Blood and Violence, Gen, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 21:21:35</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,481</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28269828</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sylvalum/pseuds/Sylvalum</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>“Please?” Maria takes a chance, stepping closer. Unfamiliar time, unfamiliar place, and still she hopes. She takes the risk and chooses to trust Rouge and speak the truth. “You're right. Project Shadow was the Ultimate Lifeform. But he was also my brother. Could you help me find him?”</p><hr/><p>A Maria lives AU.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Maria Robotnik &amp; Rouge the Bat, Maria Robotnik &amp; Shadow the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower &amp; Sonic the Hedgehog</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>One of a kind</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Welcome to my Maria lives AU! it was meant to be a Marvel AU for Sonic, which it isn't anymore - but there are a lot of traces left, like Vanilla working for GUN. It is very much an AU though, and I’ve aged up the cast with about six years (people frozen in stasis being the exceptions - their ages will be mentioned in the fic) so that Sonic is 21, Tails is 15, etc. Why? Mainly for the backstories, and also because this might get violent. There will, however, be no ships.</p><p>A huge shout-out to both ssolaris and tekina_fiction for helping me brainstorm! thank you!! i'm sorry this just kind of collected dust in my wips for so long.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>She stops running only when her bare feet almost touch the water.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She stands there in the sand, not even breathing hard, spine straight, stronger than she’s ever felt, and she takes in her surroundings.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The view from the beach, of the vast endless sea made orange by the sunset, the sprawling green jungle growing all over the island, literally knocks the breath out of Maria. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I’m on Earth</span>
  </em>
  <span>. She takes a deep breath of real air, real air with the salt smell of a real ocean, and that moment is maybe both the best and the worst she’s ever had. Maybe the best with the exception of the day when Shadow first woke, and absolutely the worst, as she then realises in the next second with a sick lurch in her stomach – the </span>
  <em>
    <span>worst</span>
  </em>
  <span>, because Shadow isn’t here with her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s wearing hospital clothes and no shoes and is almost 70 years in the future, her only ally is the bat woman who got her out of cryostasis, she’s on Earth, on real-life </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mobius</span>
  </em>
  <span> – but the worst shock is that Shadow isn’t with her. It’s ludicrous. It’s a cruel joke. Shadow was the Ultimate Lifeform, immortal and untouchable, while Maria was dying with NIDS – just because grandpa gave her some of his blood as a desperate attempt at a cure shouldn’t have done anything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This is wrong.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She </span>
  <em>
    <span>shouldn’t be here</span>
  </em>
  <span>, not without- she wouldn’t even be </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive</span>
  </em>
  <span> without Shadow-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” says the bat, a hand suddenly falling on Maria’s shoulder, shaking her back to reality. “I know this is a lot to take in, but we really need to leave. I’m gonna be in </span>
  <em>
    <span>so much trouble</span>
  </em>
  <span> if anyone catches us…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maria swallows the rock in her throat. Her heart is still racing from the chase, but not from the exertion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She says, with whatever confidence she can find, “Alright.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The bat gives her a look, and pats her awkwardly on the shoulder again. “OK, great, then let’s go.” She holds out her hand, a cocky smirk slipping easily onto her face. “And the name’s Rouge the Bat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m Maria Robotnik.” She mechanically shakes her hand (and remembers teaching Shadow how to shake hands, a million years ago) “Nice to meet you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know. I’m a goddamn delight. Plus your name was literally plastered on the pod.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Finding even a tiny little scrap of information about Maria Robotnik had been harder than stealing paintings, which is always a hassle just not worth the effort. When GUN wanted something buried then it ended up ten feet under, and ARK was the biggest disaster GUN had ever had both in size and in personnel killed. By their own soldiers. On their own orders. Rouge had never even </span>
  <em>
    <span>heard</span>
  </em>
  <span> about it until today, when she started digging and found out about it all...</span>
</p><p>
  <span>You know, in those old photos Maria Robotnik was a tiny girl. Ill, but charmingly innocent. Blond, thin and pale, but with clear blue eyes. Smiling.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This Maria, the Maria of the present is – sharper. Harder. Strong lean muscle where in the photos she was frail as a baby bird. And her eyes are an almost glowing orange-yellow, like lava. Mean and grown up and worn down.</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>What happened?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>It took a whole lot of hacking to get that blasted pod to rise up out of that pit and open (though the password was just SHADOW, weak). And after waking, Maria immediately heaved out of the pod, stood up in it amidst all that mist, and with her clenched fists at the ready. Rouge flew up high enough to be out of reach and made a peace offer. Maria accepted warily, and immediately demanded, “What year is it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“2020.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She said, </span>
  <em>
    <span>oh</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and then she just sat down in the pod and put her head in her hands.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>(Rouge still doesn’t know what to feel about her)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After that, the sirens started blaring rather quickly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both reacted at once, Maria taking a leap from her pod over the pit and to the normal floor, Rouge spinning around in mid-air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The PA system crackled to life, notifying the rest of the Prison Complex of exactly where they were.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This way,” Rouge had ordered, and flown down the corridor to the left. Maria sprinted after her, bare feet pounding against the floor. The oscillating red alarm lights painted her face red, white, red, white – she wasn’t even breathing hard. Rouge forced herself to stop staring at Maria, focused on flying, and darted to a stop in front of </span>
  <em>
    <span>a goddamn closed door</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This one?” Maria had shouted up at her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No shit,” Rouge growled, and then Maria </span>
  <em>
    <span>ripped </span>
  </em>
  <span>the lock out of the door with her bare hand and kicked the solid steel door right open, sunlight spilling in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then let’s go,” Maria shouted, panting. And yeah, okay</span>
  <em>
    <span>, let’s do that</span>
  </em>
  <span>, Rouge thought.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They rushed out into the sunlight, and then Maria raced down the stairs hugging the wall of the prison complex while Rouge flew up high above, eyes out for enemies. Seeing as this was a spontaneous and pretty damn fast breakout GUN hadn’t had the time to call for any back-up, and Rouge mostly just spotted a whole lot of jungle and beach and ocean glittering with sunset orange.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maria jogged out onto the beach, slowing down. Then she stopped and just stood there, toes in the sand, for so long that Rouge felt an annoying jab of concern and flew down to check up on her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It wouldn’t do for them to get caught, now would it?</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <b>Monday, 10:23</b>
</p><p>
  <span>A sleek black car slows to a stop outside of a cosy old manor on the coast, a few miles out from Station Square. Parked on a runway right below the manor is a bright red biplane, glowing gently in the sun. It’s been recently washed, and with great care. Back in the yard the door of the black car opens and a rabbit GUN agent in a grey suit steps out, closing the door and heading for the manor. She rings the doorbell at the front entrance, waits patiently, and after a few minutes it’s opened by a fox teenager who grins when he sees her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi Vanilla!” Tails says. He just had to rush up from the workshop to open the door – so either Sonic isn’t around or he’s asleep on the roof, or pretending he is. Though the manor is pretty big, so maybe he just didn’t hear it. Vanilla smiles back at Tails with a kindly expression, and he asks, “So what can I do for you? If it’s anything you need for Cream you could’ve called me.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s job-related, actually,” Vanilla says, tapping the GUN badge neatly pinned to her suit which Tails just now notices. Well. Alright, then. No inviting cops into the kitchen.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“GUN business, huh…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Vanilla says, “Yesterday there was a… well, let’s call it an accident, shall we? It happened on Prison Island. One of our best agents, Rouge, broke into the prison with the help of a Caucasian human woman.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tails didn’t want to be curious, but honestly, it’s almost impossible for him to </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> be curious. He asks, “Broke </span>
  <em>
    <span>in</span>
  </em>
  <span>? Why would they do that? Why would ‘Rouge’ even turn on GUN like that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t know.” Vanilla shakes her head and sighs. “Rouge has been working for GUN for several years… I don’t understand what could’ve made her do this… poor dear…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tails leans against the doorway and says, “Hmm.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>A bird chirps in a tree. Vanilla looks at her watch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well. If you could be a dear and tell your big brother that we could use his assistance in tracking them down, I would appreciate it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tails then told her goodbye, and Vanilla ruffled his bangs and said goodbye, got into her car, and drove away. The minute her car disappears behind a hill, Sonic steps out from behind the house, a novel and a glass of blueberries in hand. He whistles. “Hah! Sounds like GUN’s got quite the mess to sweep under the rug.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So, what d’you say?” Sonic steps closer, a wicked gleam in his eyes. “Wanna find out more about this ‘Rouge’ and her mystery friend? Pull some skeletons out of GUN’s wardrobe?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Questions churn inside of Tails and his fingers itch for a keyboard or a plane control stick. He’s not that busy, MilesTech can manage without him, his workshop doesn’t have any urgent projects in it and- yeah. He resigns himself to his choice and says, with too much enthusiasm for a person with relatively normal self-preservation instincts, “You </span>
  <em>
    <span>bet</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>“Hiya, sir,” Amy Rose says cheerfully, dropping down in the chair in front of the Commander’s desk. She rests her crossbow in her lap and tries not to look too eager.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Agent Rose,” the Commander says grimly. “As you already took a seat, I’ll just get straight to the debriefing. Agent Rouge has turned on us.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rouge…?” And here Amy thought the bat was one of their best agents…? Oh boy. “Why would she do that? What happened?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“She broke into Prison Island.” The Commander pulls out a stack of – photos. He puts them down on the desk and Amy leans forward to take a look. Grey corridors, blurry glimpses of Agent Rouge flying, and… glimpses of another woman? A young blond human, dressed in neutral white clothes. No visible equipment anywhere.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And she did what? They, and by the way, who’s the human, just – broke in?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We don’t know what they took,” the Commander grumbles, which means that they actually didn’t take anything, if Vanilla ever taught Amy how to read people right. “And we don’t know who the woman is. She isn’t one of our inmates – she isn’t logged in any of our databases. None. Which is quite odd,” the Commander says gravely, “Seeing as security cameras C332 and C334 captured images of her kicking down a 12-inch thick solid steel door while </span>
  <em>
    <span>barefoot</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Amy doesn’t need any tarot cards to tell her this is going to be a heck of a journey. “And what am I going to…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Track them down. We’re counting on you, Rose.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <b>Monday, 19:53</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Before he met Tails and before he had any of his adventures, Sonic used to live in the city. Right in the middle of Station Square, top floor with a balcony, fantastic view of the bay, the whole damn rich kid package. His mother Aleena belonged to an old and rich family, or something like that, and before she died Sonic used to live as luxuriously as a prince.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nowadays he just hopes that all the travelling he’s done and all the misery he’s seen, that living through the Chaos flooding and having his chest robotised, have whittled away all the snobby expensive parts of him. Because his worst fear as a kid (except for the water that took his mother) was to grow up to be like any of his mom’s colleagues. Lazy and old and stupid with money.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He’s never going to be like that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And what always makes him forget his darker thoughts is to run! Even though it sometimes makes his robotised chest ache, there’s seriously nothing better in the world than running. Tonight he’s by the bay, and as he darts up along the bridge he uses the cars as stepping stones, whooping for joy as he goes. He imagines he can feel the pulse of Station Square in the rhythm of the traffic, in the dull noise of the city, in even just the smell of it. It’s not exactly that he misses the city when he’s away, but it’s still nice to just soak in the atmosphere sometimes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Tails is at home running a search program right now, so Sonic’s by himself in the city. And it’s actually just pure chance that Sonic decides to run along the beach for a bit. He doesn’t like the water but there’s usually something interesting going down on the beach, so he likes to go there anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s a bright, clear evening and the ocean is still. The beach is deserted and Sonic’s about to give up on finding anyone to help out when he suddenly spots the boat.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s a simple white speedboat. It has the GUN logo emblazoned on its side, and it’s beached and seemingly abandoned at the Station Square shore. Reckless curiosity drives Sonic to move closer to check it out, because he can never </span>
  <em>
    <span>not</span>
  </em>
  <span> be curious, and that’s how he spots the women. They must be in their twenties, around Sonic’s age, and the bat one is slumped over in the lap of the human one. The bat looks pretty out of it. Though now that he’s looking, that bat looks waaay too similar to Agent Rouge-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They spot him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sonic puts up his hands and smiles. “Hey, ladies,” he says, coming even closer, carefully stepping up onto the deck of the small boat. “Do you need any help? I’d be glad to assist!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The human, who up close has blond hair and very noticeably piercing yellow eyes, quickly stops staring at his robotised chest and says, “Oh, that’d be neat, if you could just please…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sonic crouches down. If they need help, then he’ll help. The human motions to the bat, and Sonic reaches out-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-and gets grabbed by the arm and roughly thrown to the side. He rolls with the movement and bounces back up only a second later. The bat’s on her feet now, no sign of dizziness nor injury, and Sonic realises that he actually got played by them. He grins with a bit of teeth to it and says casually, “So, Agent Rouge, I presume?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Agent Rouge lunges, Sonic easily side-steps, and then something slams into his head so hard he swears he can see stars. “I’m sorry!” the human blurts out, and Sonic staggers for a few steps, raising his fists-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Rouge, </span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t</span>
  </em>
  <span>-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh c’mon-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sonic blinks and blinks until the horizon stays straight when he looks at it, his head throbbing like an open wound, and spins around to face Rouge and the Mystery Woman who apparently hits like an avalanche. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That all you got?” he slurs out, grinning.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Far from it,” the bat purrs, and then she moves. He blocks her kicks and punches, drops to the floor to swipe her legs out from under her, but she takes to the sky and aims a kick at his head, which Sonic stops by grabbing her foot and dragging her to the floor. She twists and jabs him in places that hurt, flipping them so she’s on top, and Sonic retaliates by knocking her off the boat and into the surf.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The human is shouting things like, “Calm down!” and “Please stop!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rouge crawls back up onto the deck, spitting out a mouthful of water. Sonic wipes at his bleeding nose, gritting his teeth against the headache.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Strategically, the human steps in between the two of them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Can we just-“ she stops. Drags a hand down her face. Then it’s like she completely changes her approach, because next she says in a very bright and cheery voice, “How about we talk this out? I’m sure this is all… a misunderstanding…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You broke into Prison Island,” Sonic accuses. “Didn’t you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rouge interrupts: “Who gives a shit about that? Who the fuck do you think you are, Sonic the Hedgehog or what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sonic starts giggling. It makes his ribs hurt and his head hurt and he’s got tears in his eyes as he wheezes out, “That’s it. That’s me. It is me, I’m Sonic. Sonic the me… I’m... Sonic.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>His vision blurs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rouge hisses, “Oh shit.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He thinks he leans back but he can’t be sure because then everything fades away.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>They make a mission plan, and it even works: Maria delivers Sonic the goddamn concussed Hedgehog to a hospital, while Rouge hides on a nearby roof and watches out for cops or GUN personnel. </span>
  <em>
    <span>I beat up Sonic the Hedgehog</span>
  </em>
  <span> was definitely something she wasn’t planning on adding to her ‘Epic Shit I’ve Done’ list, but here they are. Rouge really wasn’t planning on busting some superhuman outta prison either, but as soon as she knew someone </span>
  <em>
    <span>alive</span>
  </em>
  <span> was frozen down there… Rouge couldn’t leave Maria there. Whatever sympathy or morality left in Rouge’s cold gemstone heart wouldn’t allow it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>(especially not with this big a mystery connected to her)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s not the first time she’s burnt bridges to her employers, but it gets more difficult with every government. So, she’s pissed off. Not at Maria, just at the universe in general. Rouge can’t find it in herself to be very mad at Maria; she just exudes this young-and-in-need-of-help aura, acts shell-shocked at nearly everything… shit, she doesn’t even have any </span>
  <em>
    <span>shoes</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>By the way, Rouge now knows what they’re going to do next.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It takes a good twenty minutes for Maria to make her unconscious-celebrity delivery, and when she’s finally finished and coming out of the hospital Rouge swoops down in front of her. “We’re going shopping,” she tells her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Okay,” Maria agrees mildly. That’s it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rouge leads the way to a mall close by. It’s still open but not exactly crowded, and they sneak through with no problems. They find a clothes shop, </span>
  <em>
    <span>Princess Deena’s</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and go inside. Maria stares in bewilderment at the shelves and mannequins and hangers, so Rouge just gently tugs her along to the shoe section. She picks a pair of sneakers and a pair of combat boots and hands them to Maria. “Try these.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maria carefully puts a sneaker on. She looks up and says doubtfully, “Shouldn’t there be… socks?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right.” Rouge snatches a pair of socks from a nearby container and tosses them to Maria.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maria pulls on socks and sneakers. “Too tight.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They swap to a bigger size. Maria seems to like the combat boots so Rouge makes sure to find the ones in the best quality, and lets Maria choose a few pairs of socks. A backpack for Maria and a duffel bag for Rouge. Unfortunately the store seems to cater mostly to Mobians, so there’s no coats or trousers in human size. She doesn’t bother getting anything for herself either; she doesn’t have the time to cut holes for her wings. That’s why she’s always buying human leggings and using them as a catsuit: the waistline’s always low enough for Rouge’s wings to be comfortable.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rouge pays using one of her many credit cards, and then they go on the hunt for a human clothes shop.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The one they find seems mostly catered toward tourists. At least there're plenty of coats, and they find a nice and warm, padded and comfortable, long and waterproof one with both hood and many pockets – the only actual downside being that it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>covered</span>
  </em>
  <span> in the United Federation flag. Red, ugly navy blue, and the circle with the stars emblazoned on the chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both stare at it for a moment. Then Maria shrugs and says, “It’s warm.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>So Rouge buys it, trying to ignore her inner fashionista who’s currently throwing a fit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They’re just about to leave the mall when they run into a Mehburger place. And while their burgers may be bad, at least it’s food, and Rouge is starving. She looks at Maria, who shrugs and nods, and they go inside. Maria picks a table in the corner while Rouge goes to order an unholy amount of burgers, chips and milkshakes, and then they feast.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s been a long day.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rouge just can’t let some things go, though. “So, Space Colony ARK,” she begins. “You lived there?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Maria answers quietly. “How much do you…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Know? Space Colony ARK was a massive research project funded by GUN, and Professor Gerald Robotnik, your grandfather, was head architect and scientist.” Rouge fingers a straw as she speaks, feeling Maria’s stare on her. “The project was mostly about creating some ‘ultimate weapon’, but then </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> happened and suddenly GUN wanted it stopped at all costs. GUN sent soldiers up to ARK, and slaughtered everyone aboard.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not everyone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not everyone,” Rouge agrees. “Somehow you survived. Or was left alive.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maria looks down and doesn’t say anything for a moment. Then she raises her head, her eyes a dull orange, and starts speaking. “Someone should know… what happened. I don’t know. I just wish…” she trails off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rouge thinks the expression on her face is pain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maria starts speaking. “I was 2 when I was diagnosed with NIDS. Neuro-Immune Deficiency Syndrome, it’s a rare and incurable disease…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That affects the nervous system and weakens the immune system,” Rouge fills in. Curious where this is going.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. My grandfather sought a cure for it… I moved to Space Colony ARK when I was 4 years old. On ARK there were better means to help me, and my grandfather could take care of me.” Maria pauses. Rouge tries to see any traces of the sickly girl in those old photos in her face, and finds none. Not even a hint. Maria speaks, “I was almost healthy for many years. Until my 18</span>
  <span>th</span>
  <span> birthday, when my condition… started worsening. Rapidly. My grandfather was so afraid, he thought I would die… I </span>
  <em>
    <span>knew</span>
  </em>
  <span> I would die.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I had my 19</span>
  <span>th</span>
  <span> birthday in the infirmary, hooked up to machines and with a breathing mask on my face.” Maria smiles, and it’s wry and sad. Rouge thinks about offering comfort, but doesn’t make a move. “My grandfather and… he had </span>
  <em>
    <span>one</span>
  </em>
  <span> idea left. It could cure me or it could kill me. And I told him to try it, because I was everything to him and I didn’t want him to be sad if I died, and... and so he tried his idea.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And it cured you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah. It – fundamentally changed my whole body. Even my eyes are different.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I can see that.</span>
  </em>
  <span> “And this change made you able to…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I killed soldiers,” Maria whispers. Rouge starts and forces herself not to change her expression. “I… and I couldn’t- I couldn’t save anyone even though I’d… even though I </span>
  <em>
    <span>killed</span>
  </em>
  <span> people I couldn’t save the scientists.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maria looks down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I couldn’t save anyone.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rouge isn’t sure of what to say.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somewhere a fan whirrs, and life moves relentlessly onward.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rouge says, “…And then GUN locked you up?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“’In cryostasis until we need a weapon’,” Maria recites dully.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shit, girl,” Rouge says. “I’m sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maria shrugs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rouge puts a hand on her shoulder. “Well. Welcome to Mobius, I guess.”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <b>Tuesday, 01:04</b>
</p><p>
  <span>He really hates hospitals.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sonic identifies his location immediately by the smell of disgusting hospital soap and doesn’t bother opening his eyes. Ugh… What did he even </span>
  <em>
    <span>do</span>
  </em>
  <span> to get stuck here? His head hurts… His chest hurts, but the glow of chaos energy from within shows his robotised heart is still functioning, so he’s not dying at the very least… and if that’s the case he wants to go home. Get out of here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>What even happened-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was on the beach. It hits him all at once, and he curses underneath his breath. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Blast that bat.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>He opens his eyes, and sees Tails sitting slumped in a chair next to his bed. “Hey buddy,” Sonic croaks.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sonic!” Tails immediately jumps up and focuses on him, dragging a hand through his bangs. “I – you’re awake!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sonic clears his throat and says, “Sure am. Which hospital?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not yours.” Tails sits down again, eyes fixed on Sonic. “What </span>
  <em>
    <span>happened</span>
  </em>
  <span> to you? I just got the call from the hospital, saying you’d been taken in.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I met Agent Rouge and her new best friend.” Sonic grimaces. “She packs a punch, that’s for sure.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Agent Rouge?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, her friend. That human gal. Gods, do GUN </span>
  <em>
    <span>still</span>
  </em>
  <span> not know who she is? She hits almost as bad as Knucklehead.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I hacked their database and the answer is… no. They’ve never even seen her before…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Yeah, right.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>The city is so big, in a completely different way than the ocean they traversed for a day. The city shines and twinkles in the night, like the stars but not at all, and there are so many… smells. Everything smells. Everything is so loud and weird and everything just </span>
  <em>
    <span>smells</span>
  </em>
  <span> so much and pungently. Maria feels twitchy and excited and bubbling with manic energy even when all she </span>
  <em>
    <span>really</span>
  </em>
  <span> wants to do is curl up in dark, dark corner and pass out. She doesn’t know where Rouge is taking them, walking around, but she trusts her.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Enough to ask, at a quieter side street, “Do you know… anything about Project Shadow?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That an old weapons project?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” Maria swallows down her disappointment. Why was she hoping for anything, anyway? “He’s… It was a project to find a cure. For NIDS.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rouge stops to turn and look at her. “You said your NIDS was </span>
  <em>
    <span>cured</span>
  </em>
  <span>, right? Hello?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. I just…” </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t tell you.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Can’t trust-</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Blaring alarms.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Scientists slumping and crumpling and streaking red against the walls.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The red light reflecting off the glass of the escape pods and </span>
  <em>
    <span>you have to go, GO SHADOW-</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maria?” Rouge is staring at her. Maria drags a hand through her hair.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry.” Maria chokes out. “But if you’ve heard anything about ‘shadow’…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well,” Rouge says. “’SHADOW’ </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> the password to your pod.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...So where’d you find it?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In… look, there were a bunch of files. Like a whole goddamn library, honey, so-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Please?” Maria takes a chance, stepping closer. Unfamiliar time, unfamiliar place, and still she hopes. She takes the risk and chooses to lower her voice and speak the truth. “Project Shadow </span>
  <em>
    <span>was</span>
  </em>
  <span> the Ultimate Lifeform. And he was my brother.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rouge just stares. “</span>
  <em>
    <span>Shit</span>
  </em>
  <span>, girl,” she then says. “Fuck. All right, let’s – find a shady lil motel somewhere and then crack the encryption on the rest of it…”</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <b>Tuesday 08:01</b>
</p><p>
  <span>The search squad finds the stolen boat beached on the shores of Station Square, of all places. That’s at least a day’s journey by boat away from Prison Island. Amy first doesn’t get why Agent Rouge took a boat instead of a... or no, </span>
  <em>
    <span>then</span>
  </em>
  <span> she gets it, boats are harder to spot. And there are supposed to be trackers on all the helicopters, which of course is something that Agent Rouge would know, now that Amy thinks about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>This is why traitors are so hard to fight.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s nothing more to find on the beach, unfortunately. The boat is abandoned and the tide has washed away any footsteps there might’ve been.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Amy says as much to Vanilla: “Trail’s gone cold, Vanilla. What do we do now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“There are cameras in the city, so we’ll be watching. Though I suppose for now… you’ve got some free time, dear.” One minute motherly, the other professional. Vanilla adds, “But if Agent Rouge is sighted, be prepared to come in at once.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright!” Amy says, and happily shuts off her comm. She’ll grab something to eat and buy something for Cream, and then she’ll head home to the cottage she shares with Vanilla and Cream and all of Cream’s Chao friends.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>Rouge wakes up and immediately after wants to go back to sleep. Her phone’s squashed beneath her cheek. Her eyelids feel so heavy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They need to leave the city as soon as possible.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s just – a thing she has to deal with, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>today</span>
  </em>
  <span>, unfortunately. As soon as she gets up. Which better be right now, she decides as she despairingly sits up, dragging a hand across her face. Goddammit. She didn’t even remove her make-up before crashing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maria is still asleep in the bed on the other side of the room, judging by her breathing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rouge has very good ears.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She’s a spy. She’s also a bat, so she’s always had good hearing and liked to hang out in creepy dark places. She’s been a spy since she was 16, though, and that’s how she really learned to </span>
  <em>
    <span>listen</span>
  </em>
  <span>. That’s how she knows so many secrets. But this secret story of the ARK massacre? Maria Robotnik’s story? Project Shadow? </span>
  <em>
    <span>That</span>
  </em>
  <span> secret? It’s too big. It’s too good. She could ruin all of GUN with this if she sets it free.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s not the first time she’s burned bridges to her employers.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rouge takes a shower in the hotel’s shitty en suite bathroom. Dresses and applies make-up. Goes back and gets her phone, sees Maria is still asleep. She nudges her shoulder. “Hey, wake up. We gotta split-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maria lurches awake. Rouge leaps back several steps but all Maria does is stare, and then she rubs her eyes. “What time is it?” she mumbles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nine o’clock.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>She adds, after some thought, “Tuesday, 2020.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maria turns her face and buries it in her pillow. Rouge lets out a sigh. “C’mon, get up.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She doesn’t answer.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look, Maria, it’s been a hell of a week for you, I get that, but </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span> said you wanted to go find this ‘Shadow’ guy. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You</span>
  </em>
  <span>. I’m helping you, despite the fact that it’s putting a massive fucking target on me, and I betrayed my employers and will do it again, for </span>
  <em>
    <span>you</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and we’re going to have to leave this country, and the very least you could do-“ Rouge snaps, “Is to get the fuck out of bed.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“…I got to save Shadow.” It’s just a mumble. But then Maria growls, and heaves herself out of bed to put on that damned coat. Rouge smiles, a small and grim flash of teeth. Operation: </span>
  <em>
    <span>Get to another continent to chase myths</span>
  </em>
  <span> is underway.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <b>Tuesday 11:23</b>
</p><p>
  <span>When the call comes in Amy has literally </span>
  <em>
    <span>just</span>
  </em>
  <span> gotten back to the farm. The farm out in the countryside surrounded by fields and forest and one lonely road where the bus comes by every two hours, and since Vanilla was still at work Amy had to take that the bus, all the while swearing that she was going to buy her own car soon, </span>
  <em>
    <span>soon</span>
  </em>
  <span>, nevermind that she’s been making this exact promise since she turned 14 – yes, so then she walked the rest of the way to the cottage.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Cream waves at her from where she’s playing with the Chao, beaming, and then Amy’s communicator starts ringing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She takes a moment to just stare up into the perfect blue sky and fight the urge to hurl her comm into a ditch.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then she answers it. “This is Agent Rose,” she begins cheerfully. “And I really need a ride, the bus comes back in like two hours okay, over.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>“Understood. Will send jet.”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Amy deposits her bag of freshly bought snacks in Cream’s hands, and since Cream is the sweetest being on this planet Amy knows there’ll still be snacks left when she gets back. Then she gets a bundle of spare crossbow bolts from her room, walks back outside, says bye to Cream, and treks out onto a field to wait for her ride. The wheat stalks sway in the wind. The sky is sweetly blue, with a few fuzzy clouds crowding on the horizon.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then there’s the sound of a plane from above, but the sound of it is wrong, somehow.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And when Amy looks up a gleaming red biplane swoops down from the skies, </span>
  <em>
    <span>and why didn’t they say they were sending Sonic the freaking Hedgehog?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Miles “Tails” Prower lands his plane on the field, and then Amy rushes up to meet them. Like, yeah, she’s met them before, once or twice. And there was also that whole Perfect Chaos disaster. But Sonic is famous and also handsome and also Amy hasn’t seen him face to face in </span>
  <em>
    <span>months</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and she kinda wants to smack him for that now that she thinks about it.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi Amy!” chirps Tails, the first one to speak. “You can take the backseat.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi Tails,” Amy says. “So why are you guys here?” She hoists herself over into the back of the plane. Whoa, yeah. There’s a seatbelt and everything.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“GUN hired us,” Sonic says, lying sprawled on the wing of the plane, head propped up on one hand. “Except they aren’t actually paying us anything. You out hunting Agent Rouge too?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Amy says. Then, trying not to sound accusing or- “And where have you been? I haven’t seen you in ages!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry Ames.” Sonic smiles apologetically. “I’ve been busy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I got a job at GUN!</span>
  </em>
  <span> Amy wants to blurt out. It’s pretty obvious they already know, though. And what with her being Vanilla’s ward and a master arbalist to boot, it wouldn’t be too hard to guess either. So, she changes the subject. “We’re going to Station Square?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yup.” Sonic says. Tails starts the plane, and Sonic reaches out to grab onto the edge of the wing with one hand. “Agent Rouge and her human friend got spotted outside a hotel. By the way, didya know Agent Rouge or…?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The plane rolls along the field for a bit, squashing down wheat, and then with a lurch they’re in the air.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Amy replies to Sonic. “Heard she’s skilled though!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No kidding,” Sonic yells over the roar of the wind, and they soar toward Station Square.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>They’re just about to head to the airport when an actual goddamn</span>
  <em>
    <span> crossbow bolt</span>
  </em>
  <span> slices through the strap of Rouge’s duffel bag and all her stuff goes clattering onto the street. So either that was crazy luck on Rouge’s part and the shooter isn’t that good, </span>
  <em>
    <span>or</span>
  </em>
  <span> the arbalist is in fact very, very good and was actually aiming for the bag.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rouge and Maria both spin around and glare up to the left, a low roof where the shooter is crouching, and it’s a pink hedgehog- Agent Rose.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey,” comes a shout from another direction. Rouge glances to the right briefly and it’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>seriously</span>
  </em>
  <span> Sonic the Hedgehog again, smirking like he </span>
  <em>
    <span>didn’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> pass out last night, with that genius fox kid with him- “I dunno if I can arrest you, but either way you’re going </span>
  <em>
    <span>down</span>
  </em>
  <span>.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rouge shares a look with Maria, her partner in crime.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-then Rouge launches into the sky, lunging for Amy Rose while Maria faces Sonic the Hedgehog and Tails Prower.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <span>She remembers blood on her knuckles.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She remembers everything slowing down, hearing nothing. Seeing everything so sharp. Every move the soldiers made so slow, so easy to predict, so easy to slam an elbow into their face and hear it crack-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey lady,” quips the blue hedgehog, aiming a roundhouse kick at her which she easily avoids, and he back-flips out of her range. “What’s your name? Or are we gonna play a guessing game?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She blocks his punch, side-steps a kick. His voice feels like it’s coming from so far away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s so hard. Memories, being on the planet, memories, senses-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Let’s see, Molly?” Another flip. “Hope?” Another blow. “Sara?” the hedgehog jabs forward, his kick brushing against Maria’s leg. “Topaz?” He leaps at her-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-and Maria grabs his arms, slams him down. Holds him down against the pavement and everything is spinning, spinning, red and blood and sirens and silence-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It’s so hard. But it’s also so simple: she needs to find Shadow. Rouge is helping her, GUN is hunting them, and she has to find Shadow, because according to the files he’s alive and maybe somewhere in Soleanna and if he’s alive- </span>
  <em>
    <span>she has to find Shadow</span>
  </em>
  <span>.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>That’s all there is.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Helen?” the hedgehog tries, straining against her. “Y’know, this silence is pretty unnerving-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Maria,” she snaps. “Who are-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>She convulses. Something’s stabbed her in the back and it hurts, it burns, it’s-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maria jerks around, slams the weapon out of the fox kid’s hand, and staggers to her feet. “Sorry?” the fox tries, quickly backing away.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The hedgehog leaps to his feet too, but this time Maria blocks his kick, punches back, and he’s fast, lighting-fast but she’s not a normal human </span>
  <em>
    <span>is she now</span>
  </em>
  <span>, killing instinct honed razor-sharp-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Whoa,” the hedgehog trousers, and then Maria’s kick slams him backwards and he can’t talk anymore.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Something hits the pavement in front of her. A bolt. Maria spins around, seeing Rouge and that arbalist tumbling off the roof together, and then the hedgehog lunges again- “My name’s Sonic,” he says, and Maria parries again. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Stand your ground</span>
  </em>
  <span>. “And I’d love to know why-“ Punch. “You were on Prison Island-“ Kick. “Last night.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Locked up,” Maria snaps, aiming for his ribs.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, hold on, locked up?” His eyes narrow. They’re trading blows, moving around in a circle and the fox is approaching and Maria can see Rouge subduing the damn crossbowman, Maria can smell car exhaust and adrenaline, Maria can see the exact second Sonic decides to take out her legs and so she side-steps again, one step ahead of him. “You’re an escaped criminal? What you in for?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isn’t she?</span>
  <em>
    <span> Isn’t she?</span>
  </em>
  <span> She shouldn’t even be alive-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The ARK massacre,” Maria whispers. It feels like she’s ripping the words out from her chest.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The… what?” Sonic’s slowing down. Maria’s standing still in a vortex of colour and sounds and smells and it’s the </span>
  <em>
    <span>future</span>
  </em>
  <span>. It’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>Mobius</span>
  </em>
  <span>. And Shadow isn’t here.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“They killed my grandpa and they </span>
  <em>
    <span>killed them all</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” Maria’s saying, and she’s floating in memories. Darkness and blood, copper taste on her tongue. The street is spinning in front of her. “And then I killed them, and they froze me down for seventy years, and it feels like yesterday but it’s been decades-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh gods,” someone says, and then Rouge snarls,</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Move away from her and let me </span>
  <em>
    <span>explain</span>
  </em>
  <span>!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And Maria breathes in, and out, and in, and out. And Sonic is holding up his hands, his face pale, “It’s alright,” he’s saying. “It’s fine, it’s alright.” But it really, really isn’t.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The fight’s over.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <b>Tuesday 14:05</b>
</p><p>
  <span>They take it to a restaurant. Sonic knows a few good, hidden little places to get pizza or chili dogs at, and they all just follow him as he leads them through the district in tiny alleys and odd backstreets, getting GUN to lose the trail. Tails takes care of the rest, disabling cameras and momentarily flooding GUN’s channels with static. Because switching sides at the drop of a hat isn’t exactly a thing Sonic and Tails usually do, but they never really liked GUN anyway.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they’re finally at a safe little hole-in-the-wall, and they sit down, Sonic is the first to say, “Okay, what the hell?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maria, the human in the ugly blue-red coat which might just be a flag pattern, is still shaking. Rouge has a hand on her shoulder, glaring at Sonic as she says, “GUN has been hiding an entire massacre. Ever heard of Space Colony ARK? </span>
  <em>
    <span>Of course not</span>
  </em>
  <span>, because they buried it so deep it took me hours to find the fucking files.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No…” Amy says weakly.</span>
</p><p><span>“What?” Thoughts racing, Sonic shares a glance with Tails, </span><em><span>can you</span></em> <em><span>find that</span></em><span>, and Tails starts typing on his Miles Electric.</span></p><p>
  <span>“A massacre,” Rouge says grimly. “Seventy years ago, sure, but they did it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I mean…” Sonic doesn’t want to finish that sentence. “Yeah,” he says instead. “But what does that have to do with Maria?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Actually, he desperately doesn’t want that answer, but Rouge answers anyway. “She’s a survivor.” Her eyes are cold and hard. “Been in cryostasis for 70 years.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maria doesn’t say a word. Her eyes glow orange in her almost white face. Tails continues typing.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just gonna go order,” Sonic says, slipping away. Alright. He orders a bunch of pizzas and slinks back to their table.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s true,” Tails tells him as he sits down. He’s grimacing. He hands over the Miles Electric, and Sonic reads and feels his own face twist up too.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course it’s true,” Rouge snaps.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No…” Amy says again Sonic feels guilty as he hands her the Miles Electric, but – it’s probably better if they all read it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So this was an intentional clean-up operation?” Tails demands. “GUN wanted to catch you because they knew you’d dug something up?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Rouge shrugs. “They knew I did </span>
  <em>
    <span>something</span>
  </em>
  <span> on Prison Island. Maybe they got spooked by Maria.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Amy snaps suddenly, distraught and pissed, “THIS ISN’T RIGHT! How can </span>
  <em>
    <span>nobody know about this</span>
  </em>
  <span>?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shh, Ames,” Sonic tries to soothe, putting a hand on Amy’s shoulder, “It’ll be okay. We’re gonna fix it. We’re gonna fix it.” Sonic turns to Rouge. “We </span>
  <em>
    <span>are</span>
  </em>
  <span> fixing it, right?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>”’Fixing it?’ There’s no fixing this. All we can do is leak the files-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Somebody </span>
  <em>
    <span>needs to know</span>
  </em>
  <span>-”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Shadow,” Maria says. Everybody looks at her. She looks determined, now, eyes hard even though her face is still pale. “I need to find my friend, he’s – his name’s Shadow.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure,” Sonic says. “You know what, I guess I owe you one for attacking you. Sorry Maria.” He smiles at her. “I’ll help you find this guy.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If Sonic’s in then so am I,” Tails agrees.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“And me,” Amy promises, teeth bared.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” Rouge says. “We leak these files to the news, then we fly to Soleanna? Is that really what we’re doing now?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Maria says. Nobody argues with that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sonic kinda admires her for a little bit there.</span>
</p><p>
  
</p>
<hr/><p> </p><p>
  <b>Tuesday 19:47</b>
</p><p>
  <span>Travelling to another continent on a whim is just the kind of thing Sonic the goddamn Hedgehog and Tails kid-genius Prower would normally do, but Rouge is a bit surprised at how easily Amy Rose agrees with everything. Though then she takes a closer look at Rose’s face, and she finds the same anger as on her own, so maybe it’s not that hard to understand. It’s time to finally bring the crimes of GUN into the light…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>And the Station Square News reporters are already descending on GUN like a flock of vultures, since Rouge leaked the files just twenty minutes ago.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They decided, as a group apparently, isn’t that fun, that they couldn’t all ride the Tornado across the ocean. Tails’ plane apparently wasn’t built for more than two people (duh) and you couldn’t fly that long a distance with three passengers hanging off of a wing. Which is the reason their group spent two hours at the airport, taking turns baffling Maria with various things from the future (an easy task; airports barely belong to this plane of existence already) and drinking ungodly amounts of coffee.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Isn’t Tails like, fifteen? Shouldn’t Sonic regulate his apparent coffee addiction or something?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-Then, boarding. Sonic got them first class seats with Rouge’s fake IDs, which is a choice Rouge wholeheartedly approves of. And seeing as they took </span>
  <em>
    <span>human</span>
  </em>
  <span> first class seats, all the mobians can stretch as far as they want without running out of chair. Maria seems to be doing alright, too. With the seats and just in general. Rouge would prefer to handle the worrying about being on the wanted-list for the both of them (though she’s not even that worried. GUN will have too much work trying to handle the media to chase after only two fugitives)</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sonic orders soda for them all, likely for Tails’ benefit. Then the announcement comes for them to put on seatbelts, </span>
  <em>
    <span>here’s what to do in case we crash</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and they all strap in. Sonic cracks a joke. Maria looks at Rouge, who says, “Just wait till you see the view from up there, hon.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The plane starts moving. Tails grumbles something very mathematical sounding.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then the ground slips away from beneath them, and Rouge looks out the window to see the airport and Station Square start to rapidly shrink beneath them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>There’s a tiny gasp, and Rouge is the only one to hear it. She glances at Maria, who whispers, “I’ve never seen Earth so close up before. From above, I mean.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Rouge agrees, quietly. The only thing that can rival flying, outdo the beautiful view of the whole world laid out beneath you, is gemstones. And </span>
  <em>
    <span>that’s</span>
  </em>
  <span> some high praise coming from Rouge.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” Maria clears her throat. “It’s so different from space…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I bet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The ground blurs beneath them, just a smudge of grey and green when Rouge looks down. Inside their private little room of the plane, Tails has pulled out an odd-looking tablet and is typing rapidly. Amy has pulled her seat back and is already fast asleep. Sonic talks softly with Tails, points at things on his screen. This whole… team got together way too fast, speed-befriending to the extreme considering they started out fighting, but it doesn’t feel that bad. They already had a fight; let’s get to the real teamwork later. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Besides, they’re already on the plane. Maria and Rouge are both looking out, through a window each, and they watch as the United Federation disappears behind them, the great rolling waves of the ocean taking over…</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Eight hours left to Soleanna.</span>
</p><p> </p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>this has been in my WIPs for years so i make no promises; am working on the next chapter though. comments appreciated!<br/>also if anything's unclear lmk. i'm explaining backstories, etc, more in the next chapter.</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>